This machine smelts Ingots and/or Metal Dusts (both pure and dirty) into their alloyed Ingot product (ex. 3 Copper + 1 Tin = 4 Bronze). It is more efficient than combining Dusts by hand.
This machine is only made obsolete once all other Bronze Age machines are obsolete and an electrically powered Alloy Smelter is constructed.
While it is constructed from two Steam Furnii, it does not completely replace their function:
Construction of this machine is not strictly necessary to graduate from the bronze age to the steel/electrical age, but it will speed construction of a Bronze Blast Furnace by reducing the time cost, eliminating the grinding cost, and increasing the material efficiency of making Bronze.
Build Order Recommendation: After Steam Furnace, before Steam Powered Forge Hammer and Bronze Blast Furnace.
Recipe:
3 x Bronze Plate
3 x Bricks
2 x Steam Furnace
1 x Wrench